U.K. Channel 4's IdeasFactory, along with viral email collector Bore Me, digital agency DS.Emotion and viral promoter Hot Cherry have announced "Germ," a viral email contest which seeks viral ideas that "get the whole world talking." Oddly, according to contest rules, only U.K. agencies, apparently, are able to get the world talking as U.K.-based agencies are the only agencies welcome to enter the contest. Though, it seems, the "general public" is allowed enter as well. However, it's not clear whether that refers to worldwide general public or U.K.-based general public.

Close-minded contest or not, the winning agency, in an even odder, oxymoronic move is promised by contest organizers to have it's work seen the world over via seeding by Bore Me. In a not so oxymoronic but clandestine promotional move, all of the companies hosting the contest have, surprise, a stake in viral advertising and, with the contest putting them into contact with top viral marketers, the hole thing is basically a new business endeavor for the organizers. Nifty.

In a new PETA campaign in collaboration with China Telecom, Pamela Anderson will appear on 70,000 promotional cards wearing nothing but posing in a way that properly conceals certain body parts. The effort is to convince China, which has no law against raising and killing animals for fur that wearing fur is a bad thing. With something like 1.3 billion Chinese citizens, we don't give this campaign much chance of success.

Joining the parade of fanatical, fragrance-fixated celebrities and making the MTV show, "Sweet Smell of the Stars" ever closer to becoming reality, freak rocker Marilyn Manson has decided to launch his ow fragrance. We can't quite imagine what it will smell like but even sweet sixteen cum trailer trash Britney Spears' fragrance must smell better than this concoction. Manson isn't stopping with just a fragrance line. He's going to roll out a full on beauty line.

Online publisher Lulu has announced the Lulu Blooker prize, awarded in three categories, to the person who submits the best "blook," a book based on the contents of a weblog. The contest, which offers a $2,000 brand prize, will be judged by big-time blogger Cory Doctrow, Slashdot's Robin Miller and ibiblio's Paul Jones. Unfortunately, while latching on to the term "blook" as if they owned it, Lulu neglected to mention either Jeff Jarvis, who coined the term, or Tony Pierce, who wrote the first blook which is just typical of entities cashing in on culturati, trends and memes.

Hoping to teach every guy how to turn his living space into a swanky love nest, Maxim has launched its Maxim Living microsite on which furniture and other lad-pad elements are featured. A house ad, created by Della Femina is currently running in the October issue of Maxim. Guys, check it out to improve your chances with the ladies. Ladies, check it out to see the lengths men will go to get into your..uh...show you a good time.

Here's an ad for the Washington state lottery in which a woman freaks out to a 911 operator for reasons other than one would initially think. As Adrants reader Sean Orr points out, this spot does a great job illustrating America's hyper-capitalist, greedy obsession with money no matter what the cost. Oh sure, it's humor but what's humor without a reality on which to base it?

For the launch of Itravel Footwear's new travel site, J3tLag, flight attendant-clad models roamed the streets of New York handing out promotional material for the site. The site is authored by contributors such as CoolHunting's Josh Rubin, Flavorpill, "travel and play companion" Jet Set Lara, Fodder's John Rambow, Johnny Jet, and others. The site promises to be all things hip-travel. More images of the promotion here.

In another clear sign contextual advertising and natural disasters don't mix, a Swatch ad above a CNN lead story, yesterday, about the South Asia earthquake read, "Shake the World at," followed by the image of a watch. Oops. Did Swatch predict the time of the earthquake? There really ought to be better controls in place for this sort of thing.

Austin-based advertising and branding agency, McGarrah/Jessee, has developed an ad campaign for the Spoetzl Brewery's Shiner brand for the launch of the brewer's Shiner 96, a new, limited-edition, commemorative beer created to celebrate the brewery's 96th anniversary. Spoetzl is Texas' oldest independent brewery and producer of Shiner beers, named for the town where the brewery began in 1909. Shiner 96, a Marzen-style ale, is the first of the company's annual series of commemorative beers which will lead up to the brewery's centennial celebration in 2009.

In the print ad, the headline reads, "In 1909, B.Y.O.B. meant build your own brewery." The ads feature an image of the beer and its label, along with an old photo of the Shiner Brewing Association, circa 1909. Out-of-home ads stick with the headline, a Shiner logo extension, and the new beer label.

Armed with cameras, tape measures and smirks for those who don't measure up, images of models above urinals in the New Zealand Sofitel Queenstown Hotel have made the bathroom going experience a bit more enjoyable...or less enjoyable for those standing in front of the wrong stall. Choose wisely lest your stall mates will have cause to question your manhood.